The Magic Isn’t in the Performance. It’s in the Practice. 🎻

Last Sunday, I returned to the Furtados School of Music annual event to watch my son perform.

Different venue. Same holiday cheer. Same electric atmosphere.

But as I watched the students take the stage, I noticed something profound.

I recognized faces from last year. The drummer who was shy and tentative last year was now commanding the beat. The violinist who looked nervous before is now playing with their eyes closed, feeling every note.

It wasn’t a miracle. It wasn’t just “talent.” 
It was the result of 365 days of showing up.

We live in a world obsessed with the “quantum leap”, the viral post, the overnight success, the sudden breakthrough.
But watching these young musicians reminded me of a boring, beautiful truth:
Consistency beats intensity.

The spectacular show we applauded was just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface lay a year of scales, wrong notes, frustration, repetition, and resilience.

Last year, I wrote about finding your “Flow.” This year, my takeaway is “Compound Interest.”

As we look toward the New Year, here is how we can apply the musician’s mindset to our business and lives:

1️⃣ Fall in love with the scales 
The glamorous results come from doing the unglamorous work. Boring progress is still progress.

2️⃣ Trust the silence 
You don’t hear the improvement day-to-day. But looking back over a year, the growth is deafening. Trust the process even when you can’t see the results yet.

3️⃣ Play through the mistakes 
I saw kids hit a wrong note and keep playing. In business, we often freeze when we mess up. The melody must continue.

4️⃣ Respect the rehearsal 
Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong.
Success isn’t about being perfect on stage. It’s about being consistent in the practice room.

Here’s to a new year of showing up, doing the work, and hitting your high notes. 🚀

🎵 Question for you: What is one “boring” habit you plan to keep consistent in 2026?

A special shoutout to the teachers who guide this consistency behind the scenes.